In today’s world, IoT, or Internet of Things, is one of the most commonly used technologies within businesses and organizations. Industries from food production and manufacturing to health care and just about everything in between use IoT to connect and exchange data with other devices and systems around the world.
With the increasing use of IoT and numerous IoT devices throughout different industries, the potential for cybersecurity threats increases. Since these devices play a crucial within an organization, it’s essential to recognize and be aware of the possible threats and security concerns that can affect IoT devices and systems.
Top 5 IoT Threats to Be on the Lookout For
With the continued use of IoT devices, the number of threats against IoT devices will continue to increase. Understanding the different types of threats and ways your IoT devices are vulnerable can help you identify and avoid potential threats. You can reduce your risk of a serious data breach within your business or organization by taking action now.
Below are some of the most common IoT threats to be aware of.
1. Lack of Physical Hardening
One IoT threat to be aware of is a lack of physical hardening. IoT devices are usually remotely deployed. This makes a lack of physical hardening a serious concern since there is no secure location. No physical hardening and the inability for continued surveillance could lead to attackers being able to tamper with the device manually and remain undetected.
Attackers can gain sensitive information about network capabilities, which can help them gain control over the device. It is important to take security precautions with these devices to implement physical hardening. Be sure to take note of how identifiable and accessible your IoT devices are and ensure the hardware is safe from tampering and physical manipulation by taking steps like disabling any external ports.
2. Botnet Attacks
Botnets are a group of interconnected devices created with malicious software to send spam, steal data and hack into networks. These devices can allow attackers to access IoT devices and let them invade the network of the IoT device. This could pose a serious threat to businesses.
Botnets are often found to have infiltrated smart appliances that were not initially manufactured securely. These devices are constantly adapting and performing updates, making them highly vulnerable to botnet attacks.
It is essential to carefully monitor these devices for changes, look for any abnormal behavior and remain aware of any possible IoT threats. You should also routinely patch your network and IoT devices to ensure there are not any gaps across the system.
3. No Visibility
Because of the distribution of IoT devices and the frequent connection and disconnection from the network, IoT devices often lack proper monitoring and management. Trying to monitor a handful of devices that are constantly connecting and disconnecting is difficult and creates a lack of visibility.
This lack of visibility can prevent businesses and organizations from spotting and responding to suspicious events and possible threats. Due to this, organizations must ensure they have a device management system in place to monitor their IoT devices properly. Businesses should look to increase visibility with automated device features that can detect any potential breaches and ensure they are accounted for.
4. Industrial Espionage and Eavesdropping
Another IoT threat to be aware of is industrial espionage and eavesdropping. Privacy invasion is a prominent IoT security issue because if a hacker takes over surveillance of a location, sensitive data can be compromised and used against its owner.
Many IoT devices record information, especially those with audio feeds and video cameras, making it available to hackers when using the device to spy through. For this reason, it is crucial that you protect any devices with sensitive information or data. It is a good idea to ensure your feeds are encrypted whenever it is possible.
5. Lack of Encryption
Encryption and access control to sensitive data is an essential and extremely and powerful tool when it comes to keeping data secure. However, it can be challenging to get working encryption implemented on IoT devices.
Many IoT devices do not have the processing and storage capabilities needed for strong encryption. This causes a common lack of encryption among IoT devices, making them more susceptible to malicious attacks. If encryption is not strong, it can be easily decoded, and hackers may be able to break the encryption keys or manipulate the encryption algorithms to gain access to the device.
How to Protect Your Devices
Now that you are aware of common potential risks that can threaten IoT devices and systems, it is crucial that you take steps to avoid these security issues and manage these risks properly. Although IoT devices seem potentially hazardous with all the risks that they pose, there are several actions you can take to reduce these risks and keep your IoT system secure.
Some good actions to take when trying to make your IoT system more secure include the following:
- Using security analytics data collection to identify suspicious events easily
- Performing contextual vulnerability assessments to determine any weak areas in code or encryption
- Implementing segmentation to keep sensitive data and systems protected
- Applying the strongest encryption algorithm you can support to safeguard communications
- Ensuring device authentication to help protect any IoT endpoints
When working with IoT devices, it is also a must that you create better visibility. There are several visibility tools your IT team can adopt in order to accomplish this, one of which includes network access controls, or NACs, and inventories of possible endpoints on your network. These inventories should automatically be updated as devices connect and disconnect and retain a history of inactive devices, increasing visibility over your devices.
Choose Pickorchard for Enhanced Network Security
Pickorchard offers numerous security options to protect your devices from threats of any kind. Trust us to deliver the care you need so your business’s IoT devices can thrive.
Reach out to the professionals at Pickorchard for answers to any questions relating to your IoT devices’ security. We can ensure the proper security measures are in place to protect your IoT devices from potential threats. Pickorchard can protect your endpoints with next-generation antivirus and advanced DNS protection. We can also create custom controls to reflect your specific needs.
Don’t take a chance when it comes to the security of your business and its IoT device system. Make sure that all is secure by calling us a (212) 502-4708 or request a quote today.
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